Why History Urges Caution on Coronavirus Immunity Testing

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May 14, 2020

Dear Reader, In the rush to re-open businesses and public spaces, workers with proof of COVID-19 antibodies may be in demand. There are fundamental problems with this concept, however, because of the many unknowns surrounding coronavirus immunity itself. Check out the video featured in our lead story, which lays out some lessons and perils of past desperate quests for immunity in the face of a novel disease. Then, read a piece by Lydia Denworth on how changes in social behavior during the pandemic, like wearing a mask, could become the new normal. In space news, Pluto's thin atmosphere may be far more resilient than scientists thought. And lastly, a newly released app uses augmented reality to simulate how floodwater would inundate specific houses under varying storm surge conditions.

Sunya Bhutta, Senior Editor, Audience Engagement @sunyaaa

Public Health Why History Urges Caution on Coronavirus Immunity Testing Being immune was once a status symbol—and another way to segregate and divide humanity By Kit R. Roane,Jeffery DelViscio

Biology From Hamsters to Baboons: The Animals Helping Scientists Understand the Coronavirus Different species are helping answer different questions about COVID-19 in humans in order to develop vaccines and treatments By Simon Makin

Space Pluto's Wispy Atmosphere May Be Surprisingly Robust The dwarf planet's blue-tinged air may punch far above its weight By Mike Wall,SPACE.com

Public Health Masks Reveal New Social Norms: What a Difference a Plague Makes A 120-nanometer virus makes face coverings de rigueur in places where they were once shunned or against the law By Lydia Denworth

Public Health COVID-19 Is like an X-ray of Society The disease's unequal impacts on different segments of the population are illuminating long-standing structural injustices By Leah T. Rosen

Evolution A Failure of Imagination Nature does not have to play fair with our puny human brains By Caleb A. Scharf

Mental Health During COVID-19, Healers Need Healing Too A physician's suicide reminds us reminds us that the plague of COVID-19 creates deep emotional wounds in health care workers By Amitha Kalaichandran

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FROM THE ARCHIVE Soviet Scientists Rebuke Media for 'Cheap Sensationalism' Originally published in January 1960 | May 2020

QUOTE OF THE DAY "In the rush to re-open the world's economies, an idea has been taking shape: field a workforce of survivors who can be shown to have COVID-19 antibodies. But history urges caution." Retro Report, via YouTube

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